Got specific questions on growing a food or beverage brand? Need to find out some information that you think is only relevant to your company? The FBU Chicago event will offer attendees the chance to have all of their questions answered in small groups by our own set of expert speakers when we introduce our first set of FBU Round Table Talks during the afternoon break.

Ms. Dimitri will be discussing the way the Chicago-based company developed its RTD extension, including the ways that specific branding elements and innovations move from cafes into and onto bottles. In breaking down the elements of that progression, her talk will provide the FBU audience ways of thinking about their own brand evolution.

Weiland will offer his take on the key characteristics of companies that help small food and beverage companies grow and move into the big leagues of retailing, as well as some of the most important practices they have demonstrated to stay there.

BevNET FBU Chicago will offer three entrepreneurs the opportunity to pitch their business plan on stage to a panel of three experienced investors, applications are now open!

Nierenberg will share his thoughts on the ways new and growing brands should think about setting up their routes to market, from attracting high-quality brokers to incorporating DSD and direct-ship options into their strategies.

We are happy to announce that we’ve posted the preliminary agenda for FBU Chicago, BevNET’s all-day event that gives food and beverage entrepreneurs the knowledge they need to understand and overcome the challenges of launch and growth.

What is the “Sampling Station” at FBU? The FBU Chicago Sampling Station is an exclusive opportunity for attendees to show and sample their product to investors, retailers, distributors, and the rest of their fellow attendees. This station is an unmanned area, meaning you will not be physically sampling your product. Attendees will be sampling and discussing the products at their leisure during meals and networking breaks built into the full day program.

For budding food and beverage entrepreneurs, early decisions can have long-term ramifications because they ultimately impact one key asset: cash on hand.